Clothesline prop



Jan. 29, 1929.

c. H. wA-r'r- CLOTHESLINE PROP Filed April s. 192s attenua,

Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

CHARLES H. WATT, OF AMHERST, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

CLOTHESLINE PROP.

Application filed April 8,

This invention relates to clothes line props,

rlhe object is to provide a simple, strong and durable clothes line supporting device in the form of a prop of very light construction, and which may be easily and quickly set up in extended position to engage and hold the line in elevated position, and which may be as easily taken down and folded into coinpact form ef substantially one-half the length of the prop to be conveniently stored away in a corner or similar place.

Another object is to provide a prop of this character whose lower or base portion or half is of greater` weight and strength than the upper portion or half thereof so as to avoid the danger of bending, flexing or breaking while under the strain of supporting a load of wet articles hung on the line to dry. Y

A further object is to provide means for preventing the lower end of the prop from slipping upon the ground; to provide im proved means for engaging the line at the upper end of the prop, said means readily permitting the entrance of the line therein and lirmly'grasping the same to prevent accidental slipping of the prop or disengagement of the line, and finally to provide simple means flexibly connected to the prop for effecting the locked engagement between the lower and the upper' portions to hold the prop in4 extended form.

A full and complete understandingof the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not to be confined to strict conformity with the showing thereof, but may be changed or modilied so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specilically pointed out in the appended claim. p

ln the drawing, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures Figure l is a perspective view of the prop shown in extended form and supporting` a clothes line.

Figurel 2 is a similar view of the prop in folded position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of 1926. Serial N0. 100,584.

the prop in extended position, drawn on an enlarged scale and partly broken away.

4Figure 4 is a. similar view taken at right angles to Figure 3.

The improved prop is adapted to be formed of some suitable light weight wood of a lind to withstand the action of the elements and of sufficient size and strength for the purpose, the same being in the form of elongated strips, preferably rectangular in cross section, each strip beingsubstantially equal in length to one-half the length Of the prop.

Two of such strips, indicated by the reference numeral l-l are used to constitute the lower portion of the prop, while the upper portion of the prop is formed of a single strip 2. All of the strips are of the same size and shape in cross section and are substantially equal in length.

One end of the single strip 2 is pivoted between'the upper ends of the lower strips 1 1, preferably by means of a wooden pin 3, the latter being located a greater distance from the adjacent end of the upper strip than from the upper ends of the lower strips, so that when the upper strip is extended upwardly into longitudinal alinement with the lower strips, the strip 2 extends somewhat below the pivot for locking purposes.

To elect such locked engagement, the lower strips are each provided with alined apertures 4t located below the pivot, and the strip 2 where extending below the same is also provided with an aperture 5 which is brought into registering relation with the apertures et, when the device is extended, and a suitable wooden pin 6 is passed through the trans- .versely alined apertures to prevent turning of the upper strip about the pivot when the prop 1s in use.

The pin 6 is preferably attached to the upper end of the lower portion of the prop by means of a flexible wire or cord 7 terminally connected to one end of the pin, and attached at its other end by means of a staple 8 or other suitable fastener preferably to one end of the pivot pin 3, the ends of which are flush with the outer sides of the lower strips 1-1. The pin is somewhat longer than the combined widths of the strips and extends voutwardly from the same at each end and the liexible connection 7 is of su'llicient length to permit the pin to be easily introduced into the apertures or removed therefrom.

The lower ends of the strips l-l are held CTI nu e

in proper spaced relation by a rectangular, wooden block 9 held to the strips by nails, brads or screws 10, and a pin or spike 'll is embedded in the lower face of said block and projects downwardly therefrom to penetrate into the ground er other support and pre vent the prop from slipping.

By removing` the pin 6 from its seat, the upper strip of the prop maybe sii/ung downwardly between the lower strips, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, and the length. of the prop is reduced by halt and may be easily and conveniently handled and stored in a small space in a corner, ctc., the proportions o'l" the strips being' such as to allow the free, swinging' end of the upper strip to readily enter above the spacing` block 9 and to allow room a so for clothes line engaging means about to be described. y

Mounted in the upper, or ii'ce, swinging; end et the upper strip 2 is a pair of spaced staples l2 formed oi siiiitable wire, the ends being securely anchored in said end to render the staples strong.,T an d rigid and arranged in alineinent with each other, as clearly shown in Figure al. The inner sides oit the exposed loops of the staples are inclined to torni outwardly flaring entrance throat 13 and the inner, adjacent legs of the staples are bowed outwardly adjacent to the end ol' the strip, as indicated at 14, to provide a seat for the clothes line l5 which. may be readily iorced into the seat by a slight pressure but which is effectual-ly prevented trom dislodgnient, and.

the line may, by a slight puil, be readily disengaged, due to the slight springi action or the staples.

From the foregoing it will he seen that a simple device has been provided for supporting clothes lines, said device being easily and cheaply manutactured and sold at a low cost, the principal parts thereof being` formed of wood to prevent rustingand thus being,` easily kept clean to avoid soilino wet clothes, etc., the folding and unfolding,` thereof being` easily and quickly accomplished by simply removing or applying the pin, and that by forming` the prop Vwith the lower portion in the form of spaced strips to render greater strength to the prop and to actas a housing into which the upper portion of the prop may be swung, the entire device may he oonvenf iently folded into compact gt'orrn and stored in a minimum amount of space.

W hat is claimed is A clothes line prop comprising a pair of strips constituting` the lewer haliE of the prop., a blocl; secured between and rigidly holding the lower ends of said strips in separated relation, a dependingspike mounted in the lower end of the bloclr for preventing' dis- `placement, a single strip transversely pivoted near one end between the upper ends oit the lower'strips to hold the latter separated, said upper strip being; adapted to he swung upwardly and into longitudinal alineinent with the lower strips when in extended position, all oi the strips having transverse apertures to. register lbelow the pivot when thus swung', and a pin iiexibly connected to one of the lower strips and adapted to be removably inserted in said apertures to lock the prop in extended position.

e ln testimony, that claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto ail-ined mv signature.

ennemis n. warr. 

